Slowly Returning to Live Blogging

Greenlee Gazetteis slowly returning to live blogging after moving over 2000 miles across the country. Please bear with me while I reacclimate, and find a new schedule that allows for regular updates. Thanks!

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

I was a late joiner to the cell phone machine. I'm not a big phone talker, don't understand the texting phenomenon, and am usually near a computer, so I didn't need internet connectivity. But with The Other Half away much of the time due to his job, the practicality became undeniable. So, about four years ago, we took the plunge.

The first phone was nice in its day, but fairly clunky now, with an extendable antennae, and a rudimentary camera. The second phone--now two years old--is basically an updated version of the first, with a slightly better camera and a sleeker appearance. But it is still just basically a utilitarian phone. No more.

This year, we've cast off our Luddite ways entirely, and have entered the digital age for reals. No, it isn't an iPhone, or that swanky new touchpad Blackberry. But it is a quantum leap for us. We got "Rant" phones, by Samsung (the same brand as the previous two). But this one is a wholly different experience. It has a sliding, full-Qwerty keyboard, a mega-pixel camera, video capability, a micro-SD card. . .it's decked out.

So, to take advantage of all of this, we've taken the leap into a full service plan, which is a big bite for someone who initially didn't even want a cell phone. But thanks to The Other Half's company discount, not too hard to swallow. Time will tell if we use the high-tech new features, but I've already pulled up Greenlee Gazetteon the little screen! Maybe I'll give mobile blogging a try.

Since election night, Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman has been acting as though he's already the winner, and that challenger Al Franken is just a sore loser. That's not true, of course, as Minnesota Law requires that recounts be performed in the event of a close election. But for weeks, it has given Coleman a public perception leg up. Like George W. Bush in 2000, he has many people thinking that Coleman should be the Senator.

But, now it would appear that Al Franken is the winner. There's a little way to go before that is certified, but it looks likely, even if it is a squeaker. And Coleman is expected to fight tooth and nail to stop the Senate from seating Franken. At the detriment of his party, state and country, who will be one Senator short until this is all cleared up.

[Excerpt]

Minnesota Recount Almost Over -- But Coleman Could Keep A Franken Win Bottled Up For Weeks

Al Franken could be declared the winner of the Minnesota recount as soon as Monday, but due to the peculiarities of Minnesota election law, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) could keep the seat bottled up in the courts for weeks or even months before a decisive resolution to the race, making it harder for the Democratic majority in the Senate to seat Franken on even a provisional basis. . .

Be ready for a whole slew of 2008 wrap-ups, from this here blog, and from many other sources. This one is pretty amusing, listing the top 10 political TV clips of the past year. Here's my favorite, John McCain sounding every inch the "Grandpa Simpson" of Presidential politics. Henghhh?

It's finally the last day of 2008, and not a moment too soon. Sadly, we still have to wait 20 more days for the "Bush Era" to actually end, but that's sort of a technicality, isn't it? I mean, he stopped being President in most of our eyes--and quite possibly his own--on November 4.

And given this blogger's (and many Americans') feelings that Bush wasn't so much elected as selected, we can classify Barack Obama as the first elected President of the twenty-first century. Or at least the first newly elected one. That's sorta cool. And we're almost at then end of the first decade!

And speaking of decades, while the music of ABBA is (for good or evil) immortal, this song would be more so if it didn't so clearly mention the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s. I'd love for Benny, Bjorn, Frida and Agnetha to rerecord this one with some slightly adjusted lyrics.

2008 was good in some ways, and terrible in others. While we can hope that it portends better things, we will not be sorry to see it go. Still, it's fun to watch JibJab's darkly humerous take on the year that was. Enjoy.

. . .We had this confluence of characters—and I use that term very carefully—that included people like Powell, Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, and so forth, which allowed one perception to be “the dream team.” It allowed everybody to believe that this Sarah Palin–like president—because, let’s face it, that’s what he was—was going to be protected by this national- security elite, tested in the cauldrons of fire. . .

OK, this is just goofy fun, but a very well made little video. If you grew up on The Brady Bunch, you might be aware--then again, maybe not--that Eve Plumb who played Jan Brady, opted out of The Brady Bunch Hour. That variety show abomination aired a few years after the original was cancelled, and was basically Donny & Marie with Bradys instead of Osmonds.

It was so bad, that it is quite simply amazing it ever got on the air in the first place. So, good on you, Ms. Plumb. Of course, if "Fake Jan" gets her own day on January 2, what about "Fake Cindy" and "Fake Marcia?" After all, Susan Olsen opted out of A Very Brady Christmas, and Maureen McCormack avoided the Eight is Enough-like The Bradys. None of the Brady boys was too proud to appear in those travesties. So, who says blondes are dumb?

If you're like me, Israeli politics are one big mystery, and one squabble there sounds pretty much like any other. Not being Jewish, or even remotely religious, I don't think about Israel much when they're not in the news. And I don't really "get" it when they are in the news. I don't side with either Palestinians or Israelis, because I don't understand how either side's claim to the land is valid, just because of their respective religions. And I don't really understand why either side wants to claim it, given all the strife, and death and destruction occurs there on a regular basis.

That's why I'm glad there are smarter people out there, like MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, to explain it to me. Watching this program makes my brain swell like the Grinch's heart. Unfortunately, even though Ms. Maddow and her guests do a great job explaining the stuff, it doesn't always sink in the first time. So maybe I'll watch this again, along with you. . .

Senate Democrats on Tuesday vowed not to seat embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to fill the vacancy left by President-elect Barack Obama, prompting a House Democrat to object to the nation's only prospective black senator being denied a seat. . .

My home town is Columbus, Ohio. And one of the peculiarities there--though this may have changed in the past 14 years--was the State Liquor Store. You could buy beer, wine and "wine coolers" (now, really malt liquor) at the grocery, but the hours were regulated for no particular reason. We did have "beer docks," which were drive-thru jobbies where you could buy beer and snacks. Peculiar, really, drive-thru beer. But their hours were restricted too.

If you wanted selection, or something stronger, you had to go to the State Liquor Store. And in the town I lived in--Delaware--you could browse but not actually touch the liquor. Everything had to be requested. And the hours were lame. Now, imagine my surprise when I moved to Las Vegas in 1994. Not only can you get any kind of liquor under the sun at the local grocery, you can do so 24 hours a day! Oh, and the bars don't have a closing time, but that's a different post.

Even though we can buy just about anything at Vons or Albertsons, the prices fluctuate, and sales are not always on the item you want. So, we rely on the "big box" liquor stores, like Lee's Discount Liquor. Lee's is huge here in Vegas, and has been around for a long time. They have large stores, with wide selections in all varieties of alcohol. And they have great prices, especially if you bring cash. The location nearest our house is staffed with the surliest, most unpleasant retail workers I've ever encountered, but the prices can't be beat.

Local commercials for the chain have been uneven, from mildly amusing to bad. But I saw a commercial last night that cracked me up, starring (in addition to Mr. Lee and his grandson--carryovers from previous ads), Saturday Night Live alumnus Dan Aykroyd! I looked around, and couldn't find the ad available anywhere, but I was so tickled, I wanted to post something from the Aykroyd oeuvre. And he plays Julia Child, who is sauced, so it's appropriate! Here you go. . .

Monday, December 29, 2008

Since the earliest days of Sarah Palin's nationwide introduction, the rumors and conspiracy theories have abounded about the maternity of Trigg Palin, Sarah's fifth child. The right seized upon all of the chatter, trying to imply that this was out-of-bounds. Then they tried to pretend all other negative Palin stories were somehow linked to this one, tainting them all.

But the stories did not originate in some "in the tank" (oh how I loathe that phrase) for Obama media. No, the gossip started in Alaska, and followed Palin to national prominence. And it started because Palin had a whopper of a birth story. It flat-out didn't make sense, and other pieces of the story fit pretty neatly together, making it not at all unreasonable to believe that Trigg was actually Bristol Palin's kid.

As this story percolated, it was soon released that Bristol was five months pregnant. This seemed to rule out the conspiracy theory, as she was too far along to have given birth in April. Maybe. I have no real investment in the theory, but others do, and I'll bet you anything somebody has a timeline that fits.

Anyway, Bristol gave birth to (at least) her first child recently, and named him Tripp. I don't know what it is with this family and wacky names. . .even Dad--Levi--has one. It could be worse. She could have named him Wrangler.

The strangest thing about this story is that Bristol is a teenager in high school, and is still not married. . .and yet right-wingers are gaga about this story. All of that unwed teenage mother stuff that they're always railing against? IOKIYAR. That's It's OK If You're A Republican.

A lot of people I know have piercings beyond the ordinary one in each earlobe. My sister has one in her belly button. My friend and occasional blog contributor, Stupid Monkey Planet, has several, and I haven't asked him where they all are. And I've known several people with them in their tongues, eyebrows, lips, nipples. People seem to like to pierce a lot of things these days.

It's not for me. Even if I wanted them, I'm such a klutz, I'm quite certain I'd rip them out by accident, and be a bloody mess. Still, I don't see the harm, unless they cause your face (or other parts) to leak, or if they permanently stretch out a body part so that it doesn't ever snap back into place.

Have you ever been drunk, making out in the home of a stranger you just met in a bar, and just when things start getting hotter, she or he begins to uncover numerous piercings so abundant and bizarre that it makes you question the intelligence of the decisions you've made in your life? . . .

I got a couple of things posted today, which is amazing considering I: a) did a lot of things today, b) am on vacation and c) couldn't find anything to post about to speak of. And now, I've found out that I have to take a "time out" from vacation in order to go back to work. For at least a few hours. *sigh*

Anyway, I needed some levity, and thought you (and the blog) could use some too. See how you like this. . .

One of my favorite types of political stories to cover is the omnipresent sex scandal. Now, as far as we know--outside of some Condi rumors, and the unknown customer(s) of Jeff Gannon--George W. Bush hasn't had any sex scandals in his administration, at least not directly. But while Democrats have scandals of their own, no one does it like the GOP.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Democrats, by and large, are not as pious or as squeamish about sex. A gay Democrat--for example--is likely just that, a gay Democrat. And if he's closeted, and then "outed," nobody cares too much. But Republicans, who wrap themselves in the flag and the Shroud of Turin (figuratively, of course), invite much more scruitiny simply by pretending to stand for "traditional family values." And all of that repression leads to some very kinky sex.

Here is a great roundup of the sex scandals of the Bush era (and it is by no means a complete list!):

[Excerpt]

"EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT A SEX SCANDAL" ... UNLESS YOU COUNT THESE

by Pokey Anderson, December 27, 2008

Jeff Gannon, actually James Guckert, was a fake reporter using a pseudonym, yet was admitted routinely over a period of two years to the White House for press briefings. In his role as conservative reporter, he would lob softball questions at the White House press secretary or the President. He also seemed to have had inside knowledge of several major news events, one of which concerned Valerie Plame. The Secret Service records of Guckert's comings and goings at the White House are curious -- some of the days he checked into the White House, there were no press briefings. Some days he checked in, but didn't check out, or vice versa. Some days he stayed at the White House as long as six hours. . .

Every year for the last five years or so, I've managed to take a week off during the holidays (no "War on Christmas" stuff here, I mean Christmas and New Year's, like most sane people). It's a relaxing way to spend the last week of the year, and removes the hassle of trying to squeeze holiday responsibilities and fun around a work schedule.

This year's week off landed kinda funny on the calendar though. Usually, it's a week between Christmas and New Year's. This year, with Christmas and New Year's Eve on Wednesdays, I had to choose one week or the other. So, I took New Year's week, giving me Dec. 24 - Jan 4 off. Pretty sweet stuff, even if some is unpaid. Today being Monday, it is the first "official" day of my vacation. But in an 11-day stretch of days off, I'm actually already at day five. Not quite half. But it's amazing how long the vacation takes to get here, and how fast it goes by.

That's a long way to go to launch my way into a post. And I don't have anything particularly profound to say just yet today. I turned on the news, and found nothing new (unless a missing cruise ship passenger stokes your "missing white chick" fire). I'll try again later in the day, and hope to bring you something interesting-ish. But if I don't, you'll understand, right?

The "Bush Legacy Project" is in full-swing, with Karl Rove, Karen Hughes, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Laura Bush, and George W. Bush himself trying to put a rosy glow on the past eight years. One of the biggest tales they've been trying to sell is that Bush has kept us "safe." We're told there hasn't been a domestic terrorist attack since September 11, 2001.

OK, that ignores the anthrax attacks. It disregards terrorist attacks elsewhere in the world that are likely linked to 9/11. It doesn't count the DC sniper attacks. And it pretends that September 11 didn't happen during Bush's reign. September 11 is regarded as the worst domestic terror attack since Pearl Harbor, and yet the Bush Administration has accepted no blame for it.

Why are Americans accepting this? Is it because Bush had only been on the job for eight months? Is that it? Because, I can't imagine screwing up that badly at any job I've ever had, whether I'd held it for eight years, eight months or eight days, and not being fired. Yet, we are being asked to pretend that Bush's job really started on September 12, 2001, instead of January 20.

And how can we even know that any attacks have been prevented? The ones that have been touted by the administration turned out to be extraordinarily lame pipe dreams by people that made Squeaky Fromme look competent.

[Excerpt]Cheney defends Bush administration's decisions in interview with hometown paperVice President Dick Cheney, during an interview with the Casper Star-Tribune in his home state of Wyoming, defended his decisions during his two terms and dismissed the low poll numbers that have followed his administration with the continued occupation of Iraq and the tanking economy. He told his interviewer that a politician can't change his policy every time a new poll comes out. . .

Sunday, December 28, 2008

It's amazing how fast "blog time" goes compared to real time when you're on vacation. My intention has been to post a couple of things every day, even in these dog days of blogging over the holidays. But Sunday just slipped right by me! Of course, we had friends over, and were entertaining most of the day. Still, I was surprised to find that I had posted almost nothing for Sunday.

The biggest story going right now is the Hamas/Israel Gaza fight, and I'll confess to it being sooo far off my radar, I have nothing particularly wise or sage to add. I don't know why anybody wants to live there, so I'm puzzled why people put themselves in harm's way. There are many things about deeply-held religious feelings and beliefs that I'll never understand. Still, it is important enough that I feel some mention be made of it, so here you go.

I know that The Young Turks clips are my "go to" source for posting when I'm having trouble finding interesting things to write about. But they are an exceedingly good source of material, and are in no way "filler." And when host Cenk Uygur's topic is Rachel Maddow, and how she is better than right-wing TV-news hosts? There's no way I couldn't post this!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

I wanted to post one more piece before turning off the computer for a while, and I thought, "why not do it like Larry King does?"Larry King writes a column (or at least he used to) of random, disconnected thoughts. Hey, I've got plenty of those! So, here we go. . .

Van Wilder is a stupid, but fun movie. If you turn off your brain you'll have a good time. . .Shrek the Halls is one of the best holiday specials to come around in years. And it's spectacular on a good HDTV. . .Mamma Mia! would have been a better movie if Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan could sing. . .Masquerade, an 80s movie that stars Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, holds up better than most 80s movies. In fact, it's an engaging mystery that you'll enjoy as much as any current movie. And Rob Lowe looks spectacular on a good HDTV too. . .By the way, Meg Tilly is Jennifer Tilly's younger sister. Did you know that?. . .American remakes of Japanese horror films (The Grudge, The Ring, Shutter) are opaque, and nobody understands them as much as they say they do. . .Family Guy and American Dad! will grow on you if you give them time, no matter how much you dislike them the first time around. In fact, they will become favorites. . .No matter how many new high-tech toys you acquire, you'll always want more, and will be disappointed with the ones you have. . .You'll never feel like you deserved that speeding ticket. . .If you have a stretch of days off, you'll plan to get some things accomplished, but as the days wind down, you won't want to actually do them. . .

That's it for now, more when my brain kicks them out!

And just for the hell of it, here is one of the funniest episodes of American Dad!, featuring alien Roger as The Phantom of the Telethon. Enjoy. . .

'Twas two days after Christmas, and all through the blogs, the hit counters weren't ticking, they were sleeping like dogs. . .

Seriously, I haven't had traffic this low since I started this blog 19 months ago. I knew that traffic would slow after the election. I knew that it would fall even more over the holidays, when people have other things to do. But right now, if you are reading this, you are probably alone in the world.

The world! Billions of people could find things I've posted--over 4,000 posts--and do you know how many have in the last 24 hours? Thirty-nine. That's sobering. So, while I've felt a little guilty for not posting much in a few days, I'm not sure there would be much of a point anyway. I see why the other big blogs have either slowed to a trickle, or are hibernating. I just worry that if I take too much of a break, I'll fall out of the habit. And this hobby has been too much fun for me to let it whimper and die.

So, over the next few days, I'm going to try and find something interesting every day. It might be two or three posts, but it will be something. In fact, before bedtime (I'm writing this in the wee hours), I intend to find something interesting to share. And with a little luck, a few lonely blog readers out there will find and enjoy it. Say hello, won't you? Later!

Friday, December 26, 2008

A very unusual statistic in American politics has become evident over the last 8 years. Apparently, approximately one quarter of the American populace will follow the Republican Party, no matter who is in charge of it, or how incompetent they are. We can't be sure if there is an equal amount of Democrats who would react the same way, but I suspect the actual number of liberal progressives who march in lockstep with their party is much less than 25%.

This is a bit troubling. Because, it assures a built-in "will vote GOP" group, despite "the facts on the ground." No matter how bad or how corrupt the GOP might be at any given time, they are guaranteed one quarter of the vote. No matter how good a Democrat is, they've already lost 1 out of 4 voters.

[Excerpt]

Poll: 75% glad Bush is done

new national poll suggests that three out of four Americans feel President Bush's departure from office is coming not a moment too soon.

On my way home from work on Wednesday afternoon, I was frustrated by an extremely slow semi truck. As I took my usual route down Dean Martin Drive (a road formerly known as Industrial Road), I was slowed to a crawl by a big rig pulling out of the truck stop at Blue Diamond Road. For some reason, they pull out of there (usually heedless of traffic in either direction) going about five miles per hour, and do not pick up speed unless the light is green at the intersection. They block the southbound traffic, until the last possible minute, and then (almost always) get into the left turn lane.

This is predictable (if baffling), so I don't know why I was so annoyed by it. Probably because I'd been delayed at work, and had to stay three hours past everyone else, in order to complete my work before going on vacation. Anyway, due to my annoyance, I was ready to hit the gas pedal, and just go. Big mistake.

Dean Martin Drive is 45 miles per hour over much of its lengthy course (Martin got a much longer stretch of road than Frank Sinatra or Wayne Newton here in Las Vegas). But beginning at the truck stop, and stretching a block or so around Silverton Lodge and Casino, the road slows to 35. Silly me, I wasn't paying attention. So, going 46 miles per hour, I was pulled over by one of Las Vegas Metro's finest, yards away from the magic 45 transition. I sat there off the road, staring at the 45 MPH sign, waiting for Mr. Copolice man to come to my window.

He wasn't unpleasant exactly, though he was a bit curt. The weather was brisk, the sky gray, and threatening rain. He'd been waiting on a side road, probably picking his spot strategically, waiting for people who sped up a little to quickly, or didn't slow down soon enough. Outside of a badly timed right-turn-on-red, I haven't had a moving violation in the 14 years I've lived in Las Vegas. I've been driving the same 1998 Jeep Wrangler for over eight of those years. And most of the time, I've had my registration and proof of insurance right in the glove box where it belongs.

Not this time. I finally dug out the registration, but my insurance card was expired. Not the insurance itself, mind you, just the paper I had in the truck with me. So, the policeman cited me for speeding. He cited me for having my license sticker in the wrong location (I'd had seven years' worth of stickers on the right corner, and stuck this year's on the other side). And he cited me and The Other Half separately for not having proof of current insurance in the vehicle. It seems that though my title shows both names, my registration does not. Like that's my fault.

So, I'm not complaining that I'm not guilty. I was speeding. But I'm irritated that the policeman was lying in wait in a location where many people could make an honest mistake. I'm annoyed that I got a $190 fine for putting my sticker in the wrong corner (who knew that was illegal?). I'm annoyed that the officer couldn't call my insurance agent while checking everything else, to confirm my valid insurance. And I'm irked that there was no leniency for an almost spotless driving record on Christmas Eve.

All told, my fine is almost five hundred dollars. For going a speed that would have been legal 50 yards down the road. No one was in danger from my "reckless" speed. No public interest is served by fining me for putting a sticker 11 inches further left than dictated. My insurance is current, so ticketing me (and The Other Half) was unnecessary. But Mr. Man neglected to notice that I don't have a front license tag--and haven't had for eight years! So I guess I got a little over on him!

Outside of a few songs, and the old Batman TV show, I'll admit to not knowing much about Eartha Kitt. But I loved those songs, and she was great as Catwoman. My brother even confessed to thinking that she was still "hot," well into her 70s. And I have no doubt that her music and personality will endure yet for many years.

[Excerpt]

The Purrrfect Diva

In her fantastical life, Eartha Kitt came to like a great many things. Men, sex, bawdy songs. I personally know about the lemon sorbet, the mango sorbet and the strawberry sorbet. . .

I was dismayed to realize that I haven't listened to the South Park Christmas album this year, nor have I posted any songs from it on the blog. So, before the holiday fades, here is my last chance to post something. Please enjoy the warm holiday tidings from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the demented geniuses behind South Park. Not Safe For Work (NSFW) obviously. . .

This is my last legitimate day to post "Holiday Cheer" posts without looking desperate, so please enjoy this rerun of The XXX-Mas Shoes, a parody--and a decidedly off-color one--of the awful The Christmas Shoes by NewSong.

Original Post:

In my earlier post, Anatomy of the Christmas Shoes, I mentioned that the song was ripe for parody. Friend and contributor, Stupid Monkey Planet took me up on the challenge, and wrote a new song, using the cadence of the original.

That is where the similarities end, however! The Monkey has a dirty mind, you see, and he envisions the song a little differently than NewSong. Oh, it's still a Christmas tune, but with a decidedly adult take on things.

For this post, I'm instituting a new feature that allows me to put part of a post "below the fold." So, if you're not easily offended, and you hate "The Christmas Shoes" as much as we do, by all means read more. You've been warned. . .

It was almost breakfast timeI stared into my glass of wineAlready had a drink or twoWhich really gets me in the moodSitting down right next to meA dirty woman I'd rate a threeWhat else was I gonna doSo, I asked her where'd ya get those shoes?

She was kinda worn & old"A whore" is what I've been toldOh what the hell, it’s Christmas DayI leaned towards her just to say

[Chorus]How much to wear your shoes?For a Christmas teaseThey are darling & I really like them usedAnd one more thing, pleaseMay I also wear your hose?For starters, run them under my noseSlide them all the way up to my kneesLet us go somewhere so that no one seesHow much for all of this tonite?

I counted pennies for what seemed liked yearsI said, "I sure hope that there is enough here."She counts the pennies franticallyShe turns & is smiling at meShe says, "Let's you & me head down to my house."It was at 3rd & Holy CrossI tell ya what I couldn't wait to doWas put on her hose & dirty, dirty shoes

[Bridge]She pulled the hose up & downTightened the strappys aroundI will never forget the look on her faceSeeing me all dressed up in used lace

[Chorus]How much to wear your shoes?For a Christmas tease.They are darling & I really like them usedAnd one more thing, pleaseMay I also wear your hose?For starters, run them under my noseSlide them all the way up to my kneesLet us go somewhere so that no one seesHow much for all of this tonite?

I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's loveThese shoes fit me like a gloveI knew that God had sent that dirty girlTo remind me, that ten more, gets me 'round the world.

Let me start out by saying that I disagree strongly with at least two choices on this list: Madonna's Santa Baby is one. It was a remake of an old Eartha Kitt song, true. And it was done in a breathy, Marilyn Monroe-wishing-JFK-a-happy-birthday voice, but I still love it. She was in her Who's That Girl phase, and it fit in perfectly with her persona when it was released.

Now, Paul McCartney's tune? Not so good. Springsteen's? A little tough to take. But Cyndi Lauper's Christmas Conga? That's one of my favorites! And how could they leave out The Christmas Shoes by NewSong? That is easily the hands-down winner for the worst Christmas song of all time. No contest.

[Excerpt]

12 Worst Christmas Songs

Christmas songs can reconnect us to our childhood sense of wonder, or drive us right up the freakin' chimney. For the 12 days of Christmas, we've made our lists of the naughtiest and nicest non-novelty rock-era ditties. You check 'em twice. . .

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

UPDATE 12/25/08: Well, now it is actually Christmas, and I haven't posted a danged thing. Sorry about that. Just a quick note to say that I'm still around, just not blogging much for a couple of days. Please come back? Thanks!Original post:

The day we Americans over-plan for is finally almost here! After forcing everybody--whether or not they celebrate Christmas--to say "Merry Christmas!" from Thanksgiving onward, it is finally Christmas Eve. If you're like me, you have the rest of the week off. And if you're really lucky--like me--you have the whole next week off too!

Paradoxically, I'll have lots of time off to blog, but I most likely will post less than I usually do! The reasons for this are varied. For one, news is much harder to come by. The regular TV and radio hosts are mostly on vacation. Bloggers too, by and large. And of course, there is the fact that hardly anybody is reading anyway. I'm down to about 50 visitors a day now, and expect to fare even worse over the next 10 days or so. So why knock myself out if nobody notices?

And the biggest reason is of course that I'll be on vacation, much of it with The Other Half. I'll be busy not being busy. So, expect a much lighter amount of posts for the rest of the year. But expect that just about everywhere. So if I don't see you before hand, have a very Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Joyous Kwanzaa/Happy New Year/Winter Break!

Oh, and if The Other Half and I tire of each other, I'll be here, blogging away!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

I've been fruitlessly searching for just one more post for the night, and have been coming up empty. Then I thought about the fact that I've only got a couple of more days left for "Holiday Cheer" posts. And one of my favorite Christmas-themed TV episodes was available on Hulu. So here you go, American Dad's "Most Adequate Christmas Ever."

Sarah Palin was three things to most liberals and progressives: 1) A scary prospect for VP should John McCain have won, 2) A big part of the reason McCain lost, and 3) A comedy goldmine. Now that the election is over, and Palin has returned to Alaska, she's one more thing: Kryptonite to the GOP's chances of winning should she ascend to the top of their party.

As we've heard endlessly, she sure does energize her base. But she is more powerful than Hillary Clinton at energizing her opposition's base. And she deserves it a whole lot more than Clinton does. So good news for us that the right-wing is still in full-swoon with Sarah love!

The uber-conservative Human Events Magazine has named Sarah Palin its “Conservative of the Year,” and I couldn’t agree more. Palin exemplifies the vacuous philosophy of Republican politics. Her strident anti-intellectualism, blind faith, and personal corruption are the hallmarks of her Party and stand as testimony to her worthiness for this honor. . .

The only thing good about Karl Rove is that he is (allegedly) no longer affecting policy. Even better, in less than a month, even the "allegedly" will be removed. But Rove still has the ear of many a conservative (thanks to his regular appearances on FOX "News") and is spinning like mad to polish up the mess of a legacy left by the Bush Administration.

Rove's latest words of wisdom have to do with our rights, and the potential infringement upon them by the current administration. He's essentially saying "trust me," don't worry about it! Mmm hmm. I trust him about as far as three men could throw him.

[Excerpt]

Rove: Don't worry about government taking away rights

John Kasich, guest-hosting for Bill O'Reilly this week, ventured a bit off the Fox News reservation, giving voice to the myriad concerns over the expansion of power President Bush has concentrated in the White House over the last eight years, particularly when it comes to his extraordinary ability to spy on Americans. . .

I've been ready to grudgingly accept that there will be many things we'll never be told about the Bush Administration, and their legendary secrecy. And I've also come to the conclusion that no matter how bad the things we do find out are, that nobody is going to be punished for doing them. That last part will probably hold, except maybe for some underlings, and a pretty heavy black mark in history for the whole lot of them.

But Dick Cheney has surprised me. George W. Bush too, although to a lesser extent. In their ongoing series of "exit interviews," they have been unexpectedly candid about some of their activities. Including. . .um. . .outing a CIA agent? Yeah, Cheney kind of admits that. But it was an accident. Yes, you see, that is the proviso for nearly all Bush Administration admissions: whatever improper activities they may have done, they either weren't their fault, or they were accidental. Mmm hmm.

[Excerpt]Cheney’s admissions to the CIA leak prosecutor and FBIVice President Dick Cheney, according to a still-highly confidential FBI report, admitted to federal investigators that he rewrote talking points for the press in July 2003 that made it much more likely that the role of then-covert CIA-officer Valerie Plame in sending her husband on a CIA-sponsored mission to Africa would come to light.

Cheney conceded during his interview with federal investigators that in drawing attention to Plame’s role in arranging her husband’s Africa trip reporters might also unmask her role as CIA officer. . .

We're all familiar with tales of Wall Street brokers jumping to their deaths after the 1929 stock market crash. I don't know how numerous they really were, but there must've been enough to put that story into all of our heads. Now, the coming second Republican Great Depression (as radio talker Thom Hartmann puts it) has taken a casualty of the same sort.

It's possibly not the first, but it is the first I've seen reported. And it certainly sounds messy.

[Excerpt]

Fund Chief With Madoff Ties Said to Commit Suicide

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, a founder of the hedge fund Access International Advisors, was found dead early Tuesday in his office in Manhattan, the French business daily La Tribune reported on its Web site, after losing as much as $1.4 billion that had been invested with Bernard L. Madoff, the money manager accused of running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Mr. de la Villehuchet, 65, committed suicide, La Tribune said, citing a someone close to Mr. de la Villehuchet. . .

Are you a Mac or a PC? I'm unapologetically PC. From the old Amstrad 8088 with CGA screen and two 5.25" floppy drives, on up through the dual-core with Windows Vista, it's all I've used. And I'm a graphic artist, believe it or not. It ain't the tools, it's the user that is important!

I probably wouldn't be so "Mac-phobic" were it not for the snooty "I'm better than you are" attitude I've gotten from countless Mac users over the years. Still, the current ad campaign with John Hodgeman and Justin Long as the PC and Mac are a lot of fun. Sure, it casts the PC as a nerd, and the Mac as a cool guy, but come on. Long might be cute, but he's still "nerd cute."

Anyway, the ad campaign has inspired quite a few parodies. This one, which I just found on Bloggasm is pretty funny. Enjoy.

Having another lull in my blogging "finds" it would seem. But this is pretty cool. I was looking to see if there was a YouTube video of my favorite "contemporary" Christmas song, "Winter Wonderland" by Eurythmics. There is, sort of. It's an slideshow. But right after that, I found a version of the song by Cyndi Lauper!

I'm a big fan of both Annie Lennox and Lauper, being a child of the 70s and 80s. Both artists are tragically underappreciated. I have Lauper's Merry Christmas. . .Have a Nice Life! album, and love it. But this track is not on it. So, without further ado. . .

Monday, December 22, 2008

I suppose it is possible that Rush Limbaugh actually believes the crap he tries to sell to his listeners, but I kinda doubt it. Limbaugh is a lot of things, but I don't think he's unintelligent. Just disingenuous, and very, very willing to spin a story out of whole cloth if it makes his "side" look better.

And his task is huge right now. While George W. Bush has his "Bush Legacy Project" in full-swing, an attempt to spin his administration into something that doesn't suck, Limbaugh has got to do his part. So he's trying to place the blame for the current economic crisis on Democrats. Good luck with that, tubby.

Today, the New York Times had an article about how right-wing talk radio is gearing up to aggressively go after President-elect Obama over the next four years. Rush Limbaugh demonstrated his commitment to this crusade today on his radio show by blaming Democrats — especially Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — for starting the current economic crisis. . .

The conspiracy theory over the death of Karl Rove's tech guru Michael Connell shows no sign of abatement. And who is to say all conspiracy theories are nutty? This one seems extremely plausible.

[Excerpt]

GOP consultant killed in plane crash was warned of sabotage: report

The Republican consultant accused of involvement in alleged vote-rigging in Ohio in 2004 was warned that his plane might be sabotaged before his death in a crash Friday night, according to a Cleveland CBS affiliate. . .

This past summer, a show on CBS (of all channels) was aired that pushed the envolope on what was acceptable on broadcast TV. The show, set in 1976 America, told the tale of the sexually adventurous and boundary-blurring adults of the sexual revolution. But that was just the setup.

Though the storylines were set upon the taboo areas of "free love," the story went much deeper. The show did justice to the social upheavals of the day, while simultaneously being very relateable, and period-perfect. The acting was exemplory, if the writing wasn't always perfect. But if you were alive during the 70s, you can attest to the authenticity of the series. A few nitpicky anachronisms did occur, but Swingtown was one of the most authentic period pieces ever shown on network television.

The season one DVD collection would make a very good gift for the more socially liberated of your friends. Or yourself, if you're curious. Here's hoping that CBS (or Showtime, or other suitable venue) finds room in their schedule for season two.

[Excerpt]

Swingtown - The First Season

Swingtown is one of the best shows you’ve never seen. A sexy 1970s nostalgia show explores the decadent world of swingers in a Chicago suburb. Where can you catch this provocative show? CBS! That may be why people might have missed it, but not the reason you shouldn’t run out and buy it on DVD. . .

I'm a smoker. There, I said it. I'm not the guy who goes outside three or four times a day at work to have a cigarette. I'm not the guy who has to have a smoke at breakfast, lunchtime or dinner. But I like to have a few smokes in the evening. I don't know why. It can't be an addiction, or I would do it all day long. But in the evening, I like to have a few smokes.

Oh, and when I'm drinking, or when I'm gambling. Then too. I know I should quit completely, I know that its bad for me. But I do it anyway. But I'm gonna quit. Completely. Honestly. I really will. Someday.

I'm a child of the 70s and 80s. And one of the "big events" of the 80s was Band Aid, and "Do They Know it's Christmas?" It was a star-studded (by British and MTV standards) effort to spotlight the suffering of African people who were starving. Or something.

Today, the song is simply a perennial, an inclusion into our "All Christmas, All the Time" music stations. Whatever good it might have done at the time is rendered into a classic song that plays along side I Want a Hippopotomous for Christmas, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Still, it was a chance to hear Boy George (O'Dowd)'s voice meld into George Michael's, Simon Le Bon's, Sting's and Bono's. I still don't know if this song helped starving people. But it is a pop culture touchstone. Enjoy. Or be depressed. Whatever.

This question should be academic. Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, where one adult is sexually and romantically inclined toward people of the same gender. There is no great mystery here, though the origins and root of the situation might be less clear. The fact of the matter is, a portion of the population is oriented toward their own sex. It's just the way it is.

Some people, however, have a problem with that. In fact, they have a problem with wrapping their brains about any element of it. We can argue about the whys and the wherefores, but what we can't argue about is the reality of it.

Unless you wrap religion up in the whole equation. That mucks it all up. Animals don't have this problem. Whether it's seagulls, penguins or monkeys, the gay ones just do what comes naturally. But humans throw religion into the mix. Superstition and tradition wrapped up with holy hellfire confuses everything.

For agnostic gay people like me, there is no problem. I realized at about 14 years old that I was agnostic (with atheistic leanings), and that I was gay. No confusion, no inner struggle. My only conflict was in how others would respond. Fortunately for me, most of my family and friends took it pretty well.

So let me spell it out for you, just in case you don't "get it." A gay person is inclined to form sexual and emotional bonds with others of their own sex. That's it. It isn't about body parts or sexual positions. . .it's just what we are. It isn't about behavior. A gay person is gay whether or not they ever have sex. Opponents of homosexuality (a strange bunch--I mean, what's their interest in this matter?) will try to claim we made a choice, that we're stunted, confused, or just perverted. Um, no. We is just what we is. Not hurting anybody, not trying to convert anybody (honestly, there are plenty of us out there, no need to convert). I didn't wake up one day with the notion of "changing." I woke up one day with the realization of who I am.

Most anti-gay individuals tend to focus on the particulars of gay sex. Which ought to be telling. And the image they lock onto is the one regarding posteriors and the activities performed thereupon. What these folks fail to realize, is that many gay people don't participate in that particular activity. Some do, of course--and there's nothing wrong with that. Ask Dr. Ruth. But surely there are more (by numbers) heterosexuals inclined to the same activity. I personally know gay couples who have been together over 30 years who have never participated in said activity.

But that is what it boils down to. All anti-gay antipathy can pretty much be boiled down to "butt sex." Sorry, but that's the truth. It isn't religion. It isn't tradition. It isn't morality. It's the ick factor. Grow up, people!

It's pretty ridicuous, really. Except for the Rob Lowes and Jessica Albas, most of us look pretty silly no matter what sex we prefer. Probably 90% of us wouldn't pass muster in a skin flick. Whatever you might find "icky" would probably look as much or more so for the rest of us. Am I right? Put a mirror up to your own sex life, and realize that those you find "icky" probably find you equally so.

Now, for another perspective--one that I wholly disagree with--check this out. See who you agree with.

[Excerpt]

Am I Homo Phobic?

The dictionary defines homosexuality as: “Having a desire for someone of the same sex [gender] or the act of having sex with someone of the same sex [gender]. In other words it is a sexual behavior carried out with someone of the same gender. It did not define it as two people of the same gender who happens to love one another. Simply put, both homosexuality and heterosexuality are about sex. One sexual expression is perfectly in line with how nature has designed our bodies for reproductive purposes (it called heterosexuality) and the other is not (this one is called homosexuality). Neither sexual expression has anything to do with love. Both are sexual behaviors expressed through physical contact between two or more people. . .

Read more at (the amusingly titled) Americans for Truth About Homosexuality:

We, of course, don't think our Jewish friends are going to hell (Ari, you're safe), but Barack Obama's bff Rick Warren outright told a Jewish woman, in front of a large gasping crowd, that she was going to hell because she hasn't converted to Christianity. That's not civility we can believe in.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

These Christmas songs are a little further around the bend than I'm willing to post on the front page. Some are naughty, some are gross, some are both.

So here's how it works. If you are 1) easily offended, 2) a hard core Conservative (thus lacking a sense of humor), or 3) a "humorless, stick up the butt Liberal" (™The Stephanie Miller Show), do not click the link after the word "Continued." If you're like me, and you enjoy the bawdy, irreverent and brash, by all means, click through!

These Christmas songs are a little further around the bend than I'm willing to post on the front page. Some are naughty, some are gross, some are both.

So here's how it works. If you are 1) easily offended, 2) a hard core Conservative (thus lacking a sense of humor), or 3) a "humorless, stick up the butt Liberal" (™The Stephanie Miller Show), do not click the link after the word "Continued." If you're like me, and you enjoy the bawdy, irreverent and brash, by all means, click through!

These Christmas songs are a little further around the bend than I'm willing to post on the front page. Some are naughty, some are gross, some are both.

So here's how it works. If you are 1) easily offended, 2) a hard core Conservative (thus lacking a sense of humor), or 3) a "humorless, stick up the butt Liberal" (™The Stephanie Miller Show), do not click the link after the word "Continued." If you're like me, and you enjoy the bawdy, irreverent and brash, by all means, click through!

F*** Me, This Christmas (It's not what you're thinking) by The Wet Spots

Another light blogging day here at Greenlee Gazette,but since most bloggers take weekends off, I always like to post a few things to keep the page current. Still, with the steep drop-off in readers since the election (down about 85%!!!), there aren't too many checking anyway.

So, as we enter into the holidays, expect a few things everyday, but less than usual.

This one is too good not to share. You heard about the death of Karl Rove's IT guru, Michael Connell, right? He was about to testify on his involvement with Turdblossom's unsavory (very likely illegal) activities, and then died in a plane crash.

Unsurprisingly, some people find this to be a little more than a coincidence. It doesn't take much for political junkies of any stripe to start seeing conspiracy theories, but this one lines up so neatly, even the more sane among us are starting to wonder. Here's a video that lays it out for you, if you are unfamiliar.

I've been following developments in the California Proposition 8 aftermath, and this weekend, two significant events have occurred. And no surprise, they're from opposite sides of the fight. California Attorney General Jerry Brown has entered a lengthy argument for overturning Proposition 8, the measure that rescinded the right for same-sex couples to marry. And the anti-same-sex marriage folks have filed suit to have the 18,000 existing marriages annulled.

Wherever you come down on this issue, does it seem right to you that a vote, a lawsuit or the government should be able to annul legal marriages? It doesn't to me, but I'm admittedly biased, since I am one of those 36,000 people who got married this year while it was still legal.

This strikes me as one step too far; the "Yes on Prop. 8" folks pushing their luck. They can frame their original argument as an "issue." With issues, you are either for or against it. When you win the fight, you just say to the "losers," we won, you lost, get over it. We'll all just have to agree to disagree. And while I don't see myself or my marriage as an "issue," many do.

That argument doesn't seem as persuasive when--after they've already won their fight--they come back in for the kill. Those 18,000 couples are in a legal loophole right now. We're married, but nobody can follow us and do the same. The other side won. We present no further "danger" to their cause. But they got their taste of power, and want to "spend their capital." I'm just hoping that they've overplayed their hand.

Now, the one thing that I'm worried about is that these two attempts don't play out in the wrong order. What if they rule to annul my marriage, and then Prop. 8 is thrown out? What then? Do I have to get married again? I'm telling you this much, unless my marriage remains legal, I want my money back. Can California afford that?

In a dramatic reversal, Brown filed a legal brief saying the measure that amended the California Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman is itself unconstitutional because it deprives a minority group of a fundamental right. Earlier, Brown had said he would defend the ballot measure against legal challenges from gay marriage supporters. . .

Read more at: Sacramento Bee[Excerpt]Opponents file suit to annul gay marriages in California Opponents of same-sex marriage in the US state of California, who won a referendum blocking the unions last month, said Friday they filed suit to annul thousands of gay marriages conducted in the state this year. . .

We still haven't completely shaken off the conspiracy theory around Barack Obama's "natural born citizenship," and birth certificate, and now. . .get your tinfoil hats ready, because there's a new one being born. This one on the other side of the political aisle. But when you hear that somebody who is about to testify against the Bush administration has died in a plane crash, where does your mind go?

[Excerpt]

'Karl Rove's IT guru' Mike Connell dies in plane crash

A top level Republican IT consultant who was set to testify in a case alleging GOP election tampering in Ohio died in a plane crash late Friday night.

Michael Connell -- founder of Ohio-based New Media Communications, which created campaign Web sites for George W. Bush and John McCain -- died instantly after his single-prop, private aircraft smashed into a vacant home in suburban Lake Township, Ohio. . .

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Many of our memories are colored by nostalgia, rendering them better or at least more prized then they have any right to. For instance, old computer and gaming systems from my past, like the Atari 2600 and the Commodore 64. Both offer little entertainment value today. If you don't believe me, buy one on eBay, and see how long you play with it after opening the box.

But the memories are fond ones. Now, what about a product you rarely have used, and have no special memories for? That would be the case for me, with this video about the evolution of Apple Computers (yes, two posts in a row about Apple). Outside of my 1984 senior high school computer class, and the rare times when I've had to, I've not used Apples. No iAnything for me. So when I look at this video, I see mostly a mixture of undistinguished and often times ugly beige and grey computer boxes.

It's not until two minutes in to the video that some color and interesting designs come into play, with the iMac (unless you include that toilet seat looking laptop). The rest look no better (and sometimes worse) than the equivelant HPs, IBMs and Packard-Bells of the day. So thinking of Apples as sleaker, more refined and "a step above" design-wise is more recent than I thought.

In any event, I do enjoy seeing the evolution of almost anything, so it is interesting, whether you're in the Cult of Mac or not.

Today was another light posting day for me, because of Christmas shopping and blog apathy. Sorry about that, too much going on. Which explains why I'm posting another Rachel Maddow clip again about Rick Warren, the anti-gay preacher giving the inaugural invocation.

But it is not a rerun or a retread. This is good stuff, so I will not feel guilty!

Friday, December 19, 2008

I haven't gotten too energized about the Barack Obama/Rick Warren flap. Obama's picked uber-popular preacher Warren to give his invocation at the inauguration. And Warren happens to equate gay relationships with incest and pedophilia. Oh, and he helped to pass California's Proposition 8.

I should be outraged. But to be honest, as an atheist-leaning agnostic, I'm opposed to the invocation and benedictions anyway. Any preacher makes me tune out, whatever it is. So, while I agree that Warren is a bad choice, and that Obama is rightly in hot water with many of his constituents, I've chosen not to make it a rallying cry here on the blog.

Still, when a person gives a spectacular editorial on the matter, it does make me pay attention. Check out Rachel Maddow's take on the story.